mosque: My wife and I work daily with numerous newcomers and dear friends from Syria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Kenya and other troubled places, according to Toronto Star. They enrich our lives, and bring so much vibrant colour to the tapestry that is our community. There is nothing more antiseptic than the power of the sun, and bringing to light such horrible events as you do is so important and helpful to fighting racism. We are welcomed at the mosque and in homes like brothers and sisters. After the dreadful 2017 attack on worshippers at a mosque in Quebec, their reaction was fear, disbelief and deep sadness, but never an expression of anger, which caused me to question my own anger about the event. The love and tolerance of these new Canadians is astounding considering what so many have suffered. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

michael ferguson: That's more than seven times the number of on-site inspections conducted during the same period in 2016-17, according to The Chronicle Herald. It's all part of the government's effort to address oversight concerns with the temporary foreign worker program flagged last year by auditor general Michael Ferguson. Since the start of the year, roughly 1,600 employers have been flagged as high-risk employers and selected for inspections by the Employment and Social Development Department, with more than 1,340 on-site inspections launched and in various stages of completion. Employers often hired temporary foreign workers without first demonstrating they had exhausted all other options for finding local workers, and applications were frequently approved without being challenged, Ferguson found. Those inspections that did go ahead were flawed, since employers always had prior warning, Ferguson concluded. He also found enforcement officers lacked access to sufficient data to ensure employers were being honest about local labour availability, and rarely conducted on-site inspections. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

oval-shaped bugs: Anijleh's two kids, Samer, 8, and Joudi, 11, would be up all night crying and scratching, according to Toronto Star. Then one day they discovered the culprits small, flat oval-shaped bugs on the baseboards and under the mattresses. Soon after Khaldoun Anijleh and his family moved into their first home in Canada, they started to get itchy red bumps and painful blisters on their bodies. We had no idea what a bedbug was because we had no bedbugs in Syria, said the 32-year-old butcher, who settled in Hamilton's east end in January 2016 after spending a few weeks in temporary housing at a Toronto hotel. The family had previously spent four years as refugees in Jordan after fleeing the civil war in their homeland. The Anijlehs were among 40,000 Syrian refugees who came to Canada between the fall of 2015 and the spring of 2017 as part of Ottawa's historic resettlement program. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

superhero blockbuster: Globally the film has now grossed over 1.6 billion 200 million of which was from its massive opening in China this weekend, according to The Chronicle Herald. It's now the fifth highest grossing film of all time worldwide. The Walt Disney Studios on Sunday estimates that Infinity War has added 61.8 million from North American theatres bringing its total domestic earnings to 547.8 million. The superhero blockbuster overpowered newcomers like the Melissa McCarthy comedy Life of the Party and the Gabrielle Union thriller Breaking In, both of which were strategically timed to debut on Mother's Day weekend. In a distant second, Life of the Party earned an estimated 18.5 million, which is a few million short of some of McCarthy's other comedy collaborations with husband Ben Falcone like Tammy and The Boss. Both films drew overwhelmingly female audiences, too. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

worker program: That's more than seven times the number of on-site inspections conducted during the same period in 2016-17, according to CTV. It's all part of the government's effort to address oversight concerns with the temporary foreign worker program flagged last year by auditor general Michael Ferguson. Since the start of the year, roughly 1,600 employers have been flagged as high-risk employers and selected for inspections by the Employment and Social Development Department, with more than 1,340 on-site inspections launched and in various stages of completion. Employers often hired temporary foreign workers without first demonstrating they had exhausted all other options for finding local workers, and applications were frequently approved without being challenged, Ferguson found. Those inspections that did go ahead were flawed, since employers always had prior warning, Ferguson concluded. He also found enforcement officers lacked access to sufficient data to ensure employers were being honest about local labour availability, and rarely conducted on-site inspections. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

development department: It's all part of the government's effort to address oversight concerns with the temporary foreign worker program flagged last year by auditor general Michael Ferguson, according to Vancouver Courier. Employers often hired temporary foreign workers without first demonstrating they had exhausted all other options for finding local workers, and applications were frequently approved without being challenged, Ferguson found. Since the start of the year, roughly 1,600 employers have been flagged as high-risk employers and selected for inspections by the Employment and Social Development Department, with more than 1,340 on-site inspections launched and in various stages of completion.article continues below Trending Stories Couple on work visa stranded after their car stolen along with passports, all their possessions West Vancouver's 'Real Housewife' ordered to pay retroactive child support Squamish chief launches bid for mayor of VancouverP!nk hikes Capilano trail, thanks Vancouver for being 'damned awesome'That's more than seven times the number of on-site inspections conducted during the same period in 2016-17. He also found enforcement officers lacked access to sufficient data to ensure employers were being honest about local labour availability, and rarely conducted on-site inspections. The federal public accounts committee, which held its own hearings to ensure Ferguson's concerns were addressed, also found that while the number of temporary foreign workers has declined, oversight of employers using the program remains not sufficient. Those inspections that did go ahead were flawed, since employers always had prior warning, Ferguson concluded. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

stories couple: At least 41 people were injured in the attacks, which Indonesia's president condemned as barbaric. article continues below Trending Stories Couple on work visa stranded after their car stolen along with passports, all their possessions West Vancouver's 'Real Housewife' ordered to pay retroactive child support Squamish chief launches bid for mayor of VancouverP!nk hikes Capilano trail, thanks Vancouver for being 'damned awesome'National police chief Tito Karnavian said that the father exploded a car bomb, two sons aged 18 and 16 used a motorcycle for their attack, and the mother was with her two young daughters for her attack, according to Vancouver Courier. The woman and the two girls were all wearing explosives, Karnavian said. At least seven people plus the six family members, who included girls aged 9 and 12, died in the attacks in Surabaya, according to police. Karnavian said the family had returned to Indonesia from Syria, where until recently the Islamic State group controlled significant territory. But the use of children to execute Sunday's attacks in Surabaya, a port city on Java island, has sent shockwaves of anger and disgust across the sprawling country. The 2002 bombings on the tourist island of Bali, which killed 202 people in one night, mostly foreigners, are Indonesia's deadliest terror attack. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jet saturday: Najib had said on social media earlier in the day that he was planning to take a short vacation to spend time with his family, according to CTV. The immigration department, which initially said there was no travel ban, later issued a statement to say Najib and his wife had been blacklisted from leaving the country. A leaked flight manifesto showed that Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, were due to leave on a private jet Saturday to Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, fueling rumours that he was bolting the country days after a shocking electoral defeat that ended his coalition's 60-year grip on power. Mahathir confirmed that he prevented Najib from leaving. U.S. investigators say Najib's associates stole and laundered 4.5 billion from the fund, with some 700 million landing in Najib's bank account and around 30 million used to buy jewelry for his wife. He said there was sufficient evidence for an investigation into Najib regarding the massive corruption scandal involving the 1MDB state fund that Najib set up and is being investigated in the United States and other countries. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jewish immigration: Louis in 1939 a safe harbour, according to Toronto Star. Although the apology does little to right the wrong 254 of the 907 passengers were murdered in German concentration camps it perhaps will give those who oppose the settlement of Syrian refugees second thought. She is writing about the prime minister's proposed apology for the Canadian refusal to give Jewish refugees from Nazism aboard the St. Even after the war and the concentration camps were liberated, even after the world knew beyond a doubt that Jews had been murdered in the millions, Canadian government policy was a resounding no to Jewish immigration afraid that somehow Canadian values and way of life would be contaminated by the presence to so many non-conforming refugees. Perhaps by shining a light on our past wrongs, the prime minister is trying to teach some clueless members of our society a lesson. Similar fears exist today and so some of us want to ban refugees whose very lives are in jeopardy. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

statement saturday: Doug Ford is completely supportive of new Canadians and immigration policies that welcome immigrants, she said, according to CTV. Ford Nation is a diverse group of supporters, including strong support in immigrant communities. In a statement Saturday, Ford's campaign spokeswoman Melissa Lantsman said the leader's comments at the debate are being mischaracterized by his political opponents. During Friday's northern debate, Ford said the government would have to exhaust every option for employing locals before relying on immigrants to fill jobs in sparsely populated areas. We need immediate policies to help those currently living in these communities, she said. Lantsman said Ford is open to the northern Ontario immigration program but believes that people in the north have felt left behind. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

minister: They had to return to Germany and many died in the Holocaust, according to Rabble. It is our hope that this long overdue apology will bring awareness to our failings, he said, as we vow to never let history repeat itself. He apologized emotionally at a Jewish fundraiser, over Canada turning away a boatload of 907 refugees from Hitler in 1939. That's when the clanging might have started. Immigration minister Ahmed Hussen said he'd go to Nigeria to discourage people from coming here. The day before, public safety minister Ralph Goodale warned asylum seekers that crossing the border from the U.S. furtively was no free ticket to status. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

remarks: Instead, he slammed his opponents for seizing upon the remarks he made at the northern issues leader's debate Friday, according to CTV. My opponents are playing politics -- you know that, Ford said. At a news conference Saturday, Ford was asked four times to explain what he meant by the remarks, but would not elaborate. There's no politician that probably has more support out there for new Canadians. Ford said that if he's elected June 7, his government will create more spaces for apprenticeships and break down barriers that keep credentials held by new immigrants from being recognized. Ford Nation's full of new Canadians. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rosmah mansor: Najib had said in a statement on social media on Saturday that he was planning to take a short vacation to spend time with his family, according to The Chronicle Herald. The immigration department, which initially said there was no travel ban, later issued a statement to say Najib and his wife had been blacklisted from leaving the country. A leaked flight manifesto showed that Najib and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, were due to leave on a private jet on Saturday to Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, fueling rumours that he was bolting the country after a shocking electoral defeat earlier in the week that ended his coalition's 60-year grip on power. Mahathir confirmed that he prevented Najib from leaving. U.S. investigators say Najib's associates stole and looted 4.5 billion from the fund, with some 700 million landing in Najib's bank account and around 30 million used to buy jewelry for his wife. He said there was sufficient evidence for an investigation into Najib, in reference to the massive corruption scandal involving the 1MDB state fund that Najib set up and is being investigated in the United States and other countries. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

terror attack: Bruce Couchman, Ottawa Shree Paradkar's column really got me thinking, according to Toronto Star. If an Islamic extremist carries out a terror attack, commits an honour killing or stones a gay person to death, we are told by our progressive media figures that it has nothing to do with Islam and doesn't in any way reflect on anyone else. We should not be surprised by an attribute that, in its ethnic, racial or religious form, exists in virtually every country in the world. Muslims owe no apologies and need not engage in any critical self-reflection of themselves, their community or their religion. Yet when some idiot makes racist remarks at a Denny's restaurant in Alberta, suddenly we are told this is part of our culture, both systemically and individually. Article Continued Below Fair enough. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

travel ban: Mahathir confirmed that he prevented Najib from leaving, according to Vancouver Courier. He said there was sufficient evidence for an investigation into Najib, in reference to the massive corruption scandal involving the 1MDB state fund that Najib set up and is being investigated in the United States and other countries.U.S. investigators say Najib's associates stole and looted 4.5 billion from the fund, with some 700 million landing in Najib's bank account and around 30 million used to buy jewelry for his wife. The immigration department, which initially said there was no travel ban, later issued a statement to say Najib and his wife had been blacklisted from leaving the country. Najib has denied any wrongdoing. We have to act quickly because we don't want to be saddled with extradition from other countries. There are a lot of complaints against him, all of which have to be investigated, Mahathir told a news conference. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vancouver vancouver: Instead, he slammed his opponents for seizing upon the remarks he made at the northern issues leader's debate Friday.article continues below Trending Stories Outdoor pools tough to justify in Vancouver Vancouver has highest population density in Canada Patient and saviour reconnect after Coquitlam Crunch heart attack Camp Cloud builds shelter for women and children at protest site My opponents are playing politics you know that, Ford said, according to Vancouver Courier. There's no politician that probably has more support out there for new Canadians. At a news conference Saturday, Ford was asked four times to explain what he meant by the remarks, but would not elaborate. Ford Nation's full of new Canadians. We take care of new Canadians, Ford said. Ford said that if he's elected June 7, his government will create more spaces for apprenticeships and break down barriers that keep credentials held by new immigrants from being recognized. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

atlantic canada: I'd be more than happy to sit down and talk to the folks and look at a pilot project, according to Toronto Star. But number one I'm a pretty generous guy I'm taking care of our own first, he told delegates to the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities conference here. In the second leaders' debate of the June 7 election campaign, Ford said Friday he had concerns about replicating a federal pilot project under way in Atlantic Canada to attract newcomers to remote parts of Ontario. Read more Opinion Rosie DiManno A grieving mother's letter to Doug Ford Article Continued Below Opinion Shree Paradkar Among Doug Ford's PCs, yet another candidate with bigoted views emerges Anybody-but-Ford movement is percolating as June 7 election nears poll Once we take care of our own and we exhaust, we exhaust, every single avenue and we don't have anyone that can fulfill the job then I'd be open to that, he said. react-empty 156 Both Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath expressed astonishment afterward. That was a pretty shocking comment to hear from the leader of a major provincial party. I have to say I took a pretty sharp intake of breath at that point, I have to admit, said Wynne. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

minister: They had to return to Germany and many died in the Holocaust, according to Toronto Star. It is our hope that this long overdue apology will bring awareness to our failings, he said, as we vow to never let history repeat itself. He apologized emotionally at a Jewish fundraiser, over Canada turning away a boatload of 907 refugees from Hitler in 1939. That's when the clanging might have started. Immigration minister Ahmed Hussen said he'd go to Nigeria to discourage people from coming here. The day before, public safety minister Ralph Goodale warned asylum seekers that crossing the border from the U.S. furtively was no free ticket to status. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

balls re: But the province has the taxpayers as their underwriters to pay this, according to The Chronicle Herald. This is pure waste, and heads should roll. A for-profit insurance company would never have gone down this road of legal expenses and uncertainty of outcome. Michael Crowell, HRM Liberals drop many balls Re Your May 1 editorial, Nursing home neglect/Improve elder care. We have learned of Norma and Bob Silverstein's experience with their 93-year-old family member who died at Harbourstone Enhanced Care Facility. I'd like to express disgust over the Liberal government's complete disregard for elder care. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ifeanyi emesih: Organized by the Halifax immigration platform My Halifax Experience, the inaugural festival intends to present a carnival-inspired display of colourful culture, according to The Chronicle Herald. We are honoured that Waterfront Development approached us to organize this event because we feel it's important for our immigrant population to feel at home here, said Ifeanyi Emesih, founder of My Halifax Experience and the festival, in the release. The celebration will combine music and dance with concerts and vendors, according to a news release. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nielsen: Nielsen, one person said, tried to explain the issues were complex and that the department's powers were limited by a slew of legal restrictions, according to The Chronicle Herald. She told the president her team was doing everything it could, but the president was left unconvinced. Trump, who has grown increasingly frustrated by a spike in border apprehensions and legal setbacks, blamed Nielsen Wednesday for failing to do enough to stop them, according to people familiar with the exchange. The episode, first reported by The New York Times, left Nielsen on the verge of resignation, according to the paper, which also said Nielsen, the former deputy White House chief of staff, had drafted but not submitted a resignation letter. Homeland Security spokesman Tyler Houlton said in a tweet that, The nytimes article alleging that the Secretary drafted a resignation letter yesterday and was close to resigning is false. The department pushed back against that characterization. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

video: Nicolas Augusto Beltran, a student at the University of Lethbridge who moved from to Canada from Colombia 15 years ago, and says he was not surprised when he saw the video showing a woman saying racist things, according to Toronto Star. Read more Experts say woman from Lethbridge Denny's video was rightfully fired Article Continued Below Woman who was caught on video telling group of men they're not Canadian' at an Alberta Denny's loses her job Opinion Shree Paradkar Woman yelling at group of men in Alberta Denny's shows racism is part of Canada's character That is a part of Canadian culture that is kind of ignored and downplayed by everyone. The woman has since been identified as a resident of British Columbia, but many Lethbridge residents say the clip has kick-started a much-needed conversation about racism in the southern Alberta city. Not just white people, but everyone that lives in Canada. I've been questioned but to not that extent. It's like an underbelly that we don't like to admit exists, he said. react-empty 142 This happens more than one would like to think, he said, it's just not caught on camera and reported about. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

border apprehensions: She told the president her team was doing everything it could, but the president was left unconvinced, according to Vancouver Courier. The episode, first reported by The New York Times, left Nielsen on the verge of resignation, according to the paper, which also said Nielsen, the former deputy White House chief of staff, had drafted but not submitted a resignation letter. Trump, who has grown increasingly frustrated by a spike in border apprehensions and legal setbacks, blamed Nielsen Wednesday for failing to do enough to stop them, according to people familiar with the exchange.article continues below Trending Stories Hector Bremner remains defiant, will seek re-election in October Nielsen, one person said, tried to explain the issues were complex and that the department's powers were limited by a slew of legal restrictions. The department pushed back against that Security spokesman Tyler Houlton said in a tweet that, The nytimes article alleging that the Secretary drafted a resignation letter yesterday and was close to resigning is false. Nielsen did not deny the meeting had grown heated in a statement Thursday evening, but said she shared the president's frustrations. The secretary, he added, was hard at work Thursday on the President's security-focused agenda and supporting the men and women of DHSgov. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cfl player: It's here that thousands of migrants are interviewed by asylum officers and ultimately informed whether they will ever be allowed to leave the island.article continues below Trending Stories Former CFL player arrested for assault in New Westminster Hector Bremner remains defiant, will seek re-election in October After guilty plea, man handed life sentence for gang killing of Jonathan Bacon Holding up a tattered asylum card that reads Forbidden to travel outside Lesbos, 40-year-old Syrian Ziad Rashid said he was supposed to be deported back to Turkey after he unsuccessfully appealed his failed application, according to Vancouver Courier. But Turkey's effective refusal to re-admit migrants means there's nowhere he can go. Taking photographs of it is prohibited. I've been here for two years, says Rashid, struggling to find the words in broken Greek and English. Lesbos is facing a fourth summer of crisis. It's a big problem. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

job sites: The Regent Park resident had not, but decided to enrol in construction boot camp program Hammer Heads, according to NOW Magazine. She says it's the best thing she could have done for herself. In 2014, Tricia Ward walked into an employment centre and was asked if she'd ever considered working in the trades. Now in fourth year, she's the program's youth co-chair and has almost completed her 9,000-hour plumbing apprenticeship. On some job sites the guys can be harder on you because you're different, says Ward, who now lives in Etobicoke, bought a car and can afford to travel. Being female and Black, the pressure I feel is different. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

andrey bezrukov: Alexander, 23, and Timothy, 27, were born in Canada to parents using the aliases Donald Heathfield and Tracey Ann Foley, according to CTV. The parents were arrested eight years ago in the United States and indicted on charges of conspiring to act as secret agents on behalf of Russia's SVR, a successor to the infamous Soviet KGB. Heathfield and Foley admitted to being Andrey Bezrukov and Elena Vavilova. A high court decision Thursday grants the federal government a chance to fight a Federal Court of Appeal ruling that effectively affirmed the citizenship of Alexander and Timothy Vavilov. They were sent back to Moscow as part of a swap for prisoners in Russia. But he ran into hurdles at the passport office and in August 2014 the citizenship registrar said the government no longer recognized him to be a Canadian citizen. Alexander, who finished high school in Russia, changed his surname to Vavilov on the advice of Canadian officials in a bid to obtain a Canadian passport. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.